Employee Watercooler

We’re Pleased to Welcome William Salifu-Tex

We’re delighted to welcome William Salifu-Tex, or William Tex as he’s more often called, as our newest Campus Police Officer. William, who prefers male personal pronouns, will be working second shift with Ilie Taraburca, keeping evening students, staff, and the grounds secure until midnight.

Originally born in Ghana, William arrived in the U.S. fourteen years ago and moved to Belchertown two years ago, where he continues to live. He earned an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Holyoke Community College and has completed all of the work for a Bachelor’s degree from Elms College, also in Criminal Justice with a minor in Digital Forensics and Cyber Security. He’s just awaiting the formality of his diploma from Elms. William also just recently passed the exam at the Western Massachusetts Police Academy.

William comes to us from Cooley Dickinson Hospital where he was working as an Emergency Department Technician, collecting patient registration information, ordering tests, and collecting blood samples. He has an active interest in combining the health field with the world of public safety and continues to work on the per diem staff at the Holyoke Rehabilitation Center as a Neuro-Rehab Behavior Technician. There, he provides frequent therapeutic interactions with residents, remaining involved the routine neuro-behavioral and psychosocial care of the residents, and provides close supervision of residents in the lobby, smoking room, and dining room. A sample of the security positions William has held includes a stretch spent as a campus police officer at HCC and another at Western Massachusetts Hospital, also as a campus police officer.

When asked what attracted him to apply for this position at GCC, William explained that he took two semesters of courses at GCC under Buz Eisenberg, Walter Nieliwocki, and David Lanoie and during that time, they became his role models. When he spotted the job opening here, he didn’t hesitate.

As for something unique about William that he volunteered to share, William is a runner, bicycler, and a team player. His team-player attitude was beautifully demonstrated by a pickup soccer game he and other minority players used to participate in on the UMass soccer fields. Players from Ghana like him, from Cape Verde, etc. would form teams and play “Diversity Soccer.” Now that’s a team-player!

Affirmative action statement

Greenfield Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and college policies. The College prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation or sexual violence shall be referred to the College’s Affirmative Action and/or Title IX Officer, Peter H. Sennett, in office South 424, at 413-775-1312 or sennettp@gcc.mass.edu, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, or the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.